Contractors and other professionals who work on building renovations are worried that a new government ruling aimed at protecting against the risks of lead-paint poisoning will add another financial burden to their already distressed sector of the economy.

Hard-nosed lanlording can have negative connotations, but what does it really mean? It is what YOU make of it. Landlord tenant relationships can be difficult or easy – it is totally up to you, the landlord. One way to make it easy on yourself is to set expectations up front, and to ensure that your tenants understand and follow them. Some call it “hard-nosed” landlording, but to me it is common sense property management, and more money in my pocket.

The jury found that Layne retaliated against Kern by denying a certificate of occupancy in 2006 for a house she and her husband had been trying to sell on East Valley Road. Kern had been critical of Layne’s work as building inspector.

Retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. are cutting prices to bolster sales as customers face almost 10 percent unemployment and rising foreclosures. The European debt crisis, which has pushed up the value of the dollar and may restrain global growth, will probably further depress prices at a time when inflation is already running below Fed policy makers’ projections.

Okay, I’ve got to admit, it’s been one of those days, but I can’t stand by and not say what I’m thinking about this new “short sale” program. I’m already hearing a lot of Realtors and others saying, “This is great news!” Well, hold on a minute…..I’m going to go through some of the main points of the HAMP Update that was issued yesterday and that our President spoke about today.

After three years as a full time real estate wholesaler, I’ve pretty much made every mistake in the book, and have learned some valuable lessons in the process. Following are five wholesaling tips that I’ve picked up while out in the trenches: